| title | Grants policy document |
|---|---|
| author | Jay Miller |
| date-created | 19 Jan 2025 |
| last-updated | 09 May 2026 |
The purpose of this grants policy is to provide a structured approach to sponsoring events while maintaining financial sustainability for our organization.
Our mission at Black Python Devs is to build and support a foundation for the leaders in Black Python Developer communities. The clearer your event aligns with our mission, and the larger the impact it can make in Black communities, the more likely we are to prioritize funding it.
The sponsorship event cap is the maximum amount a single sponsorship can be. Note the amount is determined by our capacity and options available in the conference prospectus.
- Current grant budget (2025): $1,500 USD
- Rationale: Designed to support event sponsorships for up to three years at the same level
- derived from analysis of donation patterns
- subject to annual review and potential mid-year adjustment
This section explains how we evaluate funding requests for events.
Submit funding requests at least six weeks before the event. This lead time gives us the runway to review, approve, and process funding so that requested events are funded by the time they happen. Requests submitted inside the six-week window are unlikely to be supported, regardless of merit.
We weigh the historical impact of the event and the organization running it. You do not need to have been funded by us previously to receive support. What matters is that we can understand your mission and the impact your event has made, or is positioned to make. If you are new to us, share your track record, your community reach, and the outcomes your event has produced for Black developers.
We are happy to support the general success of your event, but we pay particular attention to specific, targeted funding asks. If there is something concrete you are doing that creates additional impact and requires additional funds, that specificity is taken into consideration. Examples include a scholarship track, travel support for Black speakers, a dedicated workshop, childcare for attendees, or accessibility accommodations. Tell us exactly what the money will enable that wouldn't otherwise happen.
You know your event better than we do, and you know how much you need. Your prospectus helps us understand the full picture: your overall budget, other sponsors, what tier our contribution would represent, and what our dollars unlock. A clear number, paired with context, is more useful to us than a vague range.
We consider the size of your audience and the length of your event as part of the overall picture of impact and reach. There is no official per-head, per-day amount. We do not fund on a fixed formula. Attendance and duration are inputs we weigh alongside everything else above, not a calculator we plug numbers into.
Our goal is to build a foundation for leaders in Black Python Developer communities. The closer your event sits to that goal, and the more impact it can make in Black communities, the higher it moves on our priority list.
Apply for a BPD Event grant by emailing sponsorships@blackpythondevs.com at least 6 weeks prior to the event (see §3.1).
Include the following in your request:
- event prospectus (if available)
- requested amount
- expected number of participants
- purpose of the grant
- a specific, targeted funding ask if applicable (see §3.3)
- commitment to increasing grant support as donation base grows
- ongoing evaluation of financial capacity
- maintain organizational financial stability
- prevent overcommitment of resources
- ensure ability to support events consistently
- annual review of grant allocation
- reassessment based on donation income
The grant budget is subject to change based on the organization's financial capabilities and donation levels.
- 21 Apr 2025 - Updated syntax and added a 6 week prior notification deadline - Jay Miller
- 21 Aug 2025 - Changed name of Annual Budget Cap to Sponsorship Event Cap. Added description to Sponsorship Event section. Reduced donation amount for 2025 to $1500 from $2000. Set Currency to USD - Jay Miller
- 09 May 2026 - Added Funding decision criteria (§3) covering timeline, historical impact, specific funding ask, amount requested, attendance/duration, and mission alignment. Folded mission framing into §1 and cross-referenced criteria from the application process. - Jay Miller